
.37 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 077 942 8 




COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY 



LANDMARKS 



OF BOSTON 



AN ILLUSTRATED LECTURE BY 



HENRY G. PEABODY 



•■31 



CLA3614 37 



COLONIAL AND REVOLUTIONARY 
LANDMARKS OF BOSTON 

Copyright, 1907, 1913. by Henry G. Peabody, Pasadena, California. 

THERE is one city which strongly appeals to the affections and 
patriotism of every American, namely Boston. Other cities may 
exceed her in population, in wealth, in manufacturing, or in commerce ; 
but we can never forget that Puritan Boston was the birthplace of 
American Independence. Her streets are narrow and crooked, but they 
wind among scenes of historic interest, which recall vividly the great 
drama here enacted by the heroes of the Revolution. 

Within the area known as " Greater Boston" the combined forces 
of the thirteen colonies first acted in unison as one nation. Here the 
Minute-Men of Lexington, of Concord, and of Bunker Hill met the 
confident grenadiers of Old England with blows so sudden and power- 
ful as to disconcert even the veterans of King George's army. 

Although Boston has become modernized to a great extent, many 
relics of the old, historic town still remain intact. Shall we not, then, 
walk through her winding streets and look upon some of these ancient 
landmarks. 

For a starting point let us rendezvous at old North Square. This 
was to "Historic Boston" what Copley Square is to the city of the 
present day. In the early years the centre of the fashionable quarter, 
it has gradually become cosmopolitan in its character, until today its 
population is faithfully represented by the characteristic group before 
us. Sandwiched in between the lofty walls of the modern buildings 
on either side, we see one of the very few examples remaining in the 
city of houses built with the projecting second story. During the stir- 
ring times preceding the Revolution, this house was the home of Paul 
Revere, and, on the tirst anniversary of the Boston Massacre, in its 
windows were displayed illuminated pictures of that dreadful scene, 
drawn by Revere 's own hand. 

JAN -5 1914 



Inseparably connected with the name of Paul Revere and his mid- 
night ride, is the belfry tower of the old North Church, near at hand 
on Copp's Hill. This is the oldest church building in the city, erected 
in 1 723. The tablet on the tower informs the visitor that " The signal 
lanterns of Paul Revere, displayed from the steeple of this church April 
18, 1775, warned the country of the march of the British troops to 
Lexington and Concord." As we look up at this interesting relic we 
can, in imagination, follow the old sexton, Robert Newman, as he 
climbed the tower to flash the signals on which the fate of a nation 
depended. We can see him pausing a moment to look down on the 
darkened roofs, the ghostly image of the frigate "Somerset," and, at 
his feet, the quiet churchyard, 

" Wrapped in silence so deep and still 

That he could hear, like a sentinel's tread, 
The watchful night-wind, as it went, 
Creeping along from tent to tent, 
And seeming to whisper, ' All is well ! ' " 

This was the second burial place established in Boston. Within its 
walls are the tombs of the Mathers, of Mrs. Mary Baker, a sister of Paul 
Revere, of Edmund Hartt, the builder of the frigate "Constitution," 
and many others bearing historic names. During the siege of Boston, 
while the enclosure was occupied as a British garrison, the soldiers used 
the gravestones for targets, and the monument before us, erected to 
the memory of Captain Daniel Malcom, still plainly shows the bullet 
marks of this sacrilegious sport. 

Before leaving this historic spot shall we not enter the portals of the 
old North Church and view its most interesting interior. Most of the 
ancient fixtures remain intact, unchanged by the hand of time. This 
was the second Episcopal church established in Boston. In the centre 
of the chancel, above the altar, is a painting representing the Last Sup- 
per, underneath which are four panels bearing the Ten Commandments, 
the Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. On the right is a marble bust of 
Washington, which is especially interesting as being the first monument 
ever erected to his memory. 

As we turn to leave this ancient temple we face the original antique 
organ case, although a more modern instrument has replaced the former 
mechanism. The clock below the rail has ticked off the seconds for a 
century and a half. The carved images in the organ loft are of equal 
age, captured from a French vessel on the high seas by an English pri- 
vateer, as they were being carried to adorn a Canadian convent. In the 
tower above is a chime of eight bells, whose mellow tones ring out as 
sweetly as they did when they were first brought from England in 1 774. 



Wending our way toward the business section of the city, we pres- 
ently reach Faneuil Hall Square, and see before us the "Cradle of 
Liberty." It was erected and given to the town by Peter Faneuil, on 
condition that it should be legally authorized and maintained. The 
people in accepting the building voted that it should be called Faneuil 
Hall "forever." Extensive alterations and additions have since been 
made. From the time when the spirited speeches here uttered first 
roused the patriotism of the Colonies, these walls have resounded with 
the eloquence of some of our greatest orators on occasions of public 
importance. No money is ever received for the use of the hall, but it 
is always at the disposal of the people under certain regulations. 

Let us ascend the stairway and enter its sacred precincts. At the 
rear of the platform is the great painting by Healy, representing Web- 
ster, addressing the United States Senate on the memorable occasion of 
of his reply to Hayne. The group of portraits on the left represent 
Peter Faneuil, the founder of the hall, in the centre, with Samuel Ad- 
ams above and Governor Andrew below. On the right, Washington 
stands in the centre, with John Hancock above and Henry Wilson un- 
derneath. On this platform, in I837, Wendell Phillips made his first 
anti -slavery speech. 

Passing through old Dock Square a few steps brings us into Adams 
Square, where we face the bronze statue of Samuel Adams. He stands 
with folded arms as he stood before Governor Hutchinson, his council, 
and the military authorities of the Province, on the day following the 
Boston Massacre, demanding, on behalf of the multitude assembled in 
the Old South Meeting-House, the removal of the British troops from 
the town. " A multitude highly incensed," he had said, " now waits 
the result of this application. The voice of ten thousand freemen de- 
mands that both regiments be forthwith removed. Fail not, then, at 
your peril, to comply with this requisition ! On you alone rests the 
responsibility of this decision ; and if the just expectations of the people 
are disappointed, you must be answerable to God and your country for 
the fatal consequences that must ensue. The committee have dis- 
charged their duty, and it is for you to discharge yours. They wait 
your iinal determination." 

At last Hutchinson yielded and consented that the two regiments 
stationed in the city should be removed to the " Castle " in the harbor. 
When Lord North heard of the affair he gave them the name by which 
they have frequently been called since, the "Sam Adams regiments." 
Shortly after leaving Adams Square we tread the historic ground of 
State Street, the King Street of Colonial days. At the head of the 
street stands the Old State House, above which tower lofty modem 



buildings on either hand. In no other American city can such a con- 
trast as this be found. But our thoughts are centered on the distant 
building, the most interesting structure of its period in the country. 
Let us approach nearer and examine it more closely. 

10 Could we have stood upon that balcony on that fateful March even- 
ing in 1770, we should have looked down upon the tragedy enacted 
where we stand, when the detachment of British soldiers fired the shots 
which caused the Boston Massacre. Could we have stood there on 
the following afternoon and looked in at those second story windows, 
we should have seen in the council chamber Samuel Adams, as he made 
his successful demand upon the royal governor. Could we have stood 
here a few years later we should have heard the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence read from this same balcony, and witnessed the tearing down 
of the lion and unicorn, which, together with every vestige and sign of 
royalty that could be found, were burned in the street below. One 
hundred years later these figures were replaced and the building was 
restored to its Colonial appearance. 

1 1 Closely associated with the events which we have just recalled in 
connection with the Old State House, is the Old South Meeting-House, 
the " Sanctuary of Freedom," which we next approach. Here were 
held the two memorable meetings of 1 773. The first was on Novem- 
ber 29, when 5000 citizens here assembled, resolved that the three car- 
goes of tea from England, one of which had just arrived, should not 
be landed. Three weeks later, the limit for the discharge of the cargo 
having expired, 7000 people here again assembled to demand from 
Governor Hutchinson a clearance pass for the ships to return to Eng- 
land with the tea. The meeting waited patiently during the darkening 
hours of the short winter afternoon while the owner of one of the ships 
traveled out to Milton Hill to make a last plea to the governor. When 
the final refusal of Hutchinson was reported, Samuel Adams, the mod- 
erator of the meeting, rose and quietly said : " This meeting can do 
nothing more to save the country." It was a concerted signal. In- 
stantly the famous warwhoop was heard and a band disguised as Mo- 
hawks rushed by the doors followed by the crowd. They hurried to 
Griffin's wharf, where lay the tea ships, and without molesting any 
other property, ripped open the chests of tea and threw their contents 
into the cold waters of the harbor. The actors in this stirring scene 
were not irresponsible rowdies. The next morning the wives of some 
of Boston's most substantial citizens found tea in their husbands' shoes. 
Then came the act of vandalism in 1775, when, during the siege, the 
pews and pulpit were removed and destroyed, and, by Burgoyne's or- 
der, the place transformed into a riding school for British troops. After 



5 

the close of the Revolution it was restored to its original condition, and 
for 100 years was regularly used for religious services. It now con- 
tains a museum of interesting historical relics. 

12 Nearly opposite the "Old South," at the corner of Washington 
and School Streets, stands the oldest brick building in the city, erected 
in 1712 for an apothecary shop, to which use it was devoted for more 
than 100 years. Since 1828, however, until recently, it has been the 
" Old Corner Bookstore." On the site of this historic building, nearly 
100 years before its erection, lived Anne Hutchinson, one of the most 
remarkable women of her time. Her religious teachings were consid- 
ered dangerous to the Puritan community and she was tried and con- 
demned to leave the Colony. It is difficult in this day of religious 
toleration to understand why the advocacy of heretical opinions should 
have so disturbed the little town, but we must remember that church 
and state were one in the Colony of Massachusetts, and religious her- 
esy came very close to political treason. Neither liberty of speech nor 
liberty of opinion could be allowed. 

13 Her most bitter enemy and most vindictive persecutor was Gover- 
nor Winthrop, whose statue is now before us. At the conclusion of her 
trial, when sentence of banishment had been pronounced, she desired 
to know wherefore she was banished, to which Winthrop replied, " Say 
no more; the Court knows wherefore, and is satisfied." As a man, 
however, the inflexible character of the magistrate was superseded by 
a generous nature, for it is related that when on one occasion he de- 
tected a thief at his woodpile, he addressed him as follows: "Friend, it 
is a very cold season and I doubt not you are poorly provided with 
wood ; you are welcome to supply yourself at my pile until the winter 
is over." The statue represents the Puritan Governor stepping upon 
the shore of the new world, with the Colony charter in his right hand, 
and in his left the Scriptures. 

14 Passing up Tremont Street we stand in front of King's Chapel, ano- 
ther picturesque relic of Colonial days. This was the first Episcopal 
church established in Boston. When the city was evacuated by the 
British, the loyalist rector became one of the numerous company whose 
hasty departure gave rise to the expression "gone to Halifax " and he 
carried with him the register, plate and vestments of his church. Sub- 
sequently King's Chapel became the first Unitarian church in the United 
States. The burying ground adjoining was the first laid out in the 
city, and its monuments bear many distinguished names, among others 
that of Governor Winthrop. 

1 5 Picturesque as is the exterior of this old sanctuary, standing within 
the quiet churchyard amid the noise and bustle of the city's streets, its 



interior is much more interesting'. With the exception of new uphol- 
stery it remains exactly as it appeared 150 years ago, with its antique 
pulpit, highbacked pews, and double row of Corinthian columns sup- 
porting the groined ceiling overhead. The richly stained windows of 
the chancel diffuse a soft and subdued light upon the panels, busts and 
mural tablets. Its interior was left uninjured during the siege, probably 
because it was regularly attended by the British officers, and represented 
the Church of England. 

16 From whatever direction we approach the city of Boston, north, 
south, east or west, the most conspicuous landmark, and central object 
in the view is the gilded dome of the State House on Beacon Hill. Its 
corner stone was laid by Paul Revere, as Grand Master of the Free- 
masons, in 1 795. The address was made by Governor Samuel Adams, 
who expressed the hope that within its walls "liberty and the rights of 
man should be forever advocated and supported." Extensive additions 
have since been made, and the partial reconstruction of the main build- 
ing, on its original lines but in more enduring materials, has now been 
completed. Ascending the lofty flight of broad stone steps which lead 
over the terraces between the statues of Daniel Webster and Horace 
Mann, and passing between the columns in Doric Hall, we tind our- 
selves in the beautiful, new Memorial Hall. 

1 7 Occupying the four corners of the room are alcoves containing the 
torn and tattered banners brought home by Massachusetts regiments 
from southern battlefields. The large painting in the gallery, on the 
left, represents the returning soldiers ascending the State House steps 
to deliver the precious relics to John A. Andrew, the " War Governor " 
of Massachusetts, who originally presented them to the regiments when 
they were starting for the front. This apartment, designed especially 
for this purpose in the reconstructed building, is of magnificent pro- 
portions and, with its walls and circular colonnade of polished Sienna 
marble, forms a worthy receptacle for the treasured mementoes. 

18 Just beyond the State House is the site of the old Hancock Man- 
sion, the home of Governor John Hancock, and, all things considered, 
the finest private residence in Boston during the Colonial period. Its 
grounds included a large portion of Beacon Hill, and the site of the 
present State House was Hancock's pasture. This mansion was used 
as headquarters by General Clinton while he remained in Boston. It 
also served as a hospital for the wounded from Bunker Hill. Although 
the grounds were somewhat mutilated by the British soldiers about the 
time of the battle of Lexington, the house itself, with its furnishings 
and pictures, had received no injury, and was in excellent preservation 
as late as the beginning of our Civil War. Strong efforts were made 



at that time to secure the house as a museum for the collection of Rev- 
olutionary relics. This action failing, the building was unfortunately 
pulled down, to be replaced by a modern brownstone front, and with it 
disappeared the only then existing monument to the memory of John 
Hancock. It was a beautiful specimen of Colonial architecture, and 
has furnished a model for many structures, of later years, the most not- 
able of which was the building erected at the World's Columbian Ex- 
position in Chicago to represent the old Bay State. 

19 From the State House steps extends the Common, a stretch of green 
turf and noble elms comprising fifty acres. No other city in America 
has such a park, in the very midst of its business district. Rising ma- 
jestically above the tree tops we see the graceful spire of the Park Street 
Church, for many years the highest object seen on approaching the 
city. From the extreme fervor of the orthodox doctrines formerly 
expounded within its walls, the site of this church has long been known 
as " Brimstone Corner." Close to the further wall of Park Street 
Church, within the enclosure known as the Granary Burial-Ground, 
a plain shaft of Tennessee marble, erected a few years ago, marks the 
resting place of John Hancock. A few steps distant, near the iron 
fence on the Tremont Street side, a rough granite boulder with a bronze 
tablet stands by the grave of Samuel Adams. Thus in death, as in 
life, these two patriots, who were the leading spirits of the Revolution, 
are still together. The tall spire above throws its solemn shadow across 
the resting place of each, and on Memorial Day the grandchildren of 
men who were themselves unborn at the time these graves were new, 
strew them with flowers as sweet as grew in Hancock's garden in those 
days so long ago. 

20 Proceeding a little further along the Tremont Street Mall, the first 
walk laid out across the Common, we reach the monument erected 
to commemorate the Boston Massacre. The bronze figure in front of 
the shaft is typical of Revolution breaking the chains, while the bas- 
relief on the base represents the scene of the massacre, with the outline 
of the Old State House in the background. On one corner of the 
plate are inscribed the words of Webster: "From that moment we 
may date the severance of the British empire," while on the opposite 
corner is engraved John Adams' remark : " On that night the founda- 
tion of American Independence was laid." On the upper portion of 
the shaft are carved the names of the victims of the massacre, headed 
by that of Crispus Attucks. 

2i Within an enclosure not far from the Attuck's monument stood for 

many years the Old Elm, which was the most interesting historical feat- 
ure of the Common before its destruction by a winter's gale in 1876. 



8 

A tablet on the spot speaks of the elm as follows : " This tree has been 
standing here for an unknown period. It is believed to have existed 
before the settlement of Boston, being full grown in 1722. Exhibited 
marks of old age in 1792, and was nearly destroyed by a storm in 
1 832." Historians surmise that from one of the branches of this ancient 
tree was suspended the rope with which Ann Hibbens was hanged for 
witchcraft in 1656. We know that three Quakers were also executed 
on the Common, possibly from the limbs of this same tree. 

22 The Old Elm stood near the borders of the Frog Pond, where the 
boys of 150 years ago sailed their boats in summer and skated on its 
frozen surface in winter, just as their great grandchildren do today. 
The story of the interview which the plucky Boston boys held with 
General Gage, when the British soldiers broke the ice on their skating 
pond, is too well known to need repetition. No wonder the astonished 
but admiring general exclaimed : " Good Heavens ! the very children 
draw in a love of liberty with the air they breathe." 

23 From the further shore of the Frog Pond rises a hill where stood a 
British fortification at the time of the siege. On its summit has been 
erected the Army and Navy Monument, at a cost of $75,000, from 
designs by Martin Millmore. At the corners of the monument stand 
four figures representing Peace, History, the Soldier, and the Sailor. 
It bears the following inscription, composed by President Eliot of Har- 
vard University : " To the men of Boston who died for their country 
on land and sea, in the war which kept the Union whole, destroyed 
slavery, and maintained the Constitution, the grateful city has built 
this monument, that their example may speak to coming generations." 
Descending the hill and crossing the Parade Ground, we reach the 
western limit of " Historic Boston." 

24 Where the steady stream of travel now pours its constant current 
through Charles Street, the ebbing and flowing tide of the river Charles 
formerly rippled against a sandy beach, and from the spot where we 
now stand the British troops embarked to cross its waters on the march 
to Lexington and Concord. But from the waters of the former bay 
a new city has arisen, with broad avenues, sumptuous residences, and 
stately public buildings. Shall wf not cross the Public Garden before us 
and view some of the modern temples of art and learning which charac- 
terize this " Athens of America." But ere we step from the ancient to 
the modern, let us for a moment consider some of the changes which 
250 years have wrought, not only in outward appearances, but in the 
freedom of individual thought and action which now characterizes the 
community. In the distance, as we look across this beautiful park, our 
eyes rest upon the massive Florentine tower of the First Baptist Church. 



25 This society, which here has its home on the most aristocratic ave- 
nue in the city, is the direct descendant of the First Baptist Society, the 
doors of whose meeting-house on Salem Street, when completed in 
1680, were nailed up by order of the Governor and Council of the 
Colony. The law decreed banishment to Baptists, and inflicted fines, 
whippings, and imprisonment on those who persisted in the attempt to 
remain. But even as the dawn of enlightenment and liberality suc- 
ceeded the age of religious intolerance to which we have just referred, 
so has the modern splendor and magnificence we are about to look 
upon been reclaimed from the swamps and flats which formerly com- 
posed this district. 

26 The Public Garden through which we are passing is worthy of 
more than a casual glance. Its charming lake, over whose placid sur- 
face glide the graceful swan-boats, is a continual source of delight to 
the children. Its floral profusion is freely spread before rich and poor 
alike, and is the common property of all. No vandal hands are ever 
laid upon these treasures, even the children realizing that it is theirs to 
see and admire, but not to touch. Looking across the lake, through 
the leafy vista of the overhanging foliage, we see the distant spire of 
the Arlington Street Church. Built in 1861, it was one of the earliest 
structures erected in "Modern Boston," and is the new home of the 
famous old Federal Street Church. 

27 To that sanctuary adjourned from the Old State House the con- 
vention which met to ratify the Constitution in 1 778, as we are told 
in the following lines : 

"The Vention did in Boston meet, 

But State House could not hold 'em ; 
So then they went to Federal Street, 
And there the truth was told 'em." 

An amusing incident is related in connection with the weathervane of 
the old church, presented by John Hancock. Colonel Erving meeting 
the pastor one day called his attention to the fact that the vane did not 
move, but remained fixed in one position. The good and honest par- 
son immediately called on the mechanic who had put up the vane to 
remedy the trouble. After a difficult climb to the top it was found 
that the trouble was not with the vane, but with the wind, which had 
remained due east for a fortnight. So it seems that the noted east 
winds of Boston are not a modern feature by any means. 

28 Near the Arlington Street side of the Public Garden stands a red 
marble and granite monument, erected to commemorate the discovery 
that " the inhaling of ether causes insensibility to pain, first proved to 
the world at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in October, 



10 

1846." The shaft is surmounted by two figures illustrative of the 
story of the good Samaritan, while under the Gothic arches on the 
four sides of the base are appropriate bas-reliefs. 

29 As we approach the Commonwealth Avenue gate of the Public 
Garden, we pass Thomas Ball's equestrian statue of Washington, the 
finest specimen of monumental sculpture in the city. It represents the 
Father of his Country in the prime of life, with commanding attitude 
and dignified expression. The figure of the horse is exceptionally fine, 
the arching neck and spirited action bearing witness to the sculptor's 
skill. Its extreme height is thirty-eight feet above the ground and it 
is surrounded by a mass of bedded plants, arranged in symmetrical 
shapes, and displayed in brilliant combinations of color. 

30 Few cities enjoy the privilege of having, right in the midst of their 
crowded thoroughfares and teeming hives of industry and trade, such 
an oasis of verdure, free alike to all classes, as this Public Garden of 
Boston, with its rare tropical plants and flowers, its cool fountains and 
shady arbors. From early Spring till Autumn late, it is an everchang- 
ing kaleidoscope of the floral emblems of the varying seasons. In the 
distance extends the Common, with its canopy of spreading elms, and, 
crowning all, is the gilded dome of the State House on Beacon Hill. 

3 1 We have now reached the edge of Copley Square, the pride of 
modern Boston and unequalled in any city in the country. First and 
foremost among the stately structures surrounding it stands imposing 
Trinity, the masterpiece of Richardson, and for years the church of the 
lamented Phillips Brooks. It is French Romanesque in design, and is 
the finest church edifice in Boston. Its massive central tower, rising to 
a height of 211 feet, is supported by four great piers at the corners, 
which rest upon foundations of stone saved from the ruins of the old 
church in Summer Street, destroyed in the great fire of 1872. 

32 The adjoining chapel, with its external stairway and the open clois- 
ter connecting it to the church, forms one of the most picturesque feat- 
ures of the exterior design. The cloister contains some ornamental 
stonework from the old church of Saint Botolph, in Boston, England. 
The unfinished condition of the front of the church toward Copley 
Square long marred the otherwise harmonious relations of the separate 
portions. But the pointed towers on either side of the front elevation 
have been added, and the entrance porch is an accomplished reality, so 
that the edifice now rises, complete in all its grand proportions, a fitting 
climax to the stately structures of Copley Square. 

33 Let us enter its portals and view the interior. The semicircular 
chancel is lighted by richly stained memorial windows, between which 
are gilded panels bearing the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and other texts 



11 

pertaining to the Episcopal service. In the centre is a brass lectern, at 
the left of which stands a beautiful marble font, while the pulpit is 
supported from one of the massive corner piers. In the great tower 
above the chancel are the colossal mural frescoes by John La Farge, 
on the left Saint Peter, on the right Saint Paul, with groups of angels 
surmounted by a motto overhead. 

34 A more recent addition to Boston's public buildings is the new 
home of the Public Library. Its exterior is of monumental design in 
Italian Renaissance, and entirely fills one side of Copley Square. Ex- 
tending across the front of the building, underneath the cornice, is a 
frieze bearing the following inscription : " The Public Library of the 
City of Boston, built by the people, and dedicated to the advance- 
ment of learning." 

35 The main entrance consists of three arched openings, each closed 
by heavy wrought iron gates. Above the arches are the sculptured 
seals by Augustus St. Gaudens, of the City and Commonwealth on 
either side, and the Library in the centre. As the iron gates swing 
open underneath the motto, " Free to all," and we pass in under the 
helmet-crowned head of the Roman Minerva on the keystone of the 
central arch, we find ourselves in the Entrance Hall. 

36 This has a high, vaulted ceiling of rich mosaic work in colored 
marble, and bears the names of Boston's eminent men representing the 
various professions of letters, science, art and law. The white marble 
floor is inlaid with brass figure work representing the signs of the zo- 
diac, the seal of the Library, and the names of the men most prom- 
inently connected with its early history. Passing under the triumphal 
arch before us, we begin the ascent of the Grand Staircase, of Sienna 
marble, the most magnificent feature of this palatial interior. 

37 On the landing at either side of the ascending steps repose two lions, 
designed by Louis St. Gaudens, and carved from single blocks of Sienna 
marble as a memorial to the officers and men of two Massachusetts 
regiments who fell in the Civil War. On the panelled marble wall 
before us are three paintings by Chavannes. In the left hand panel, 
Virgil, typifying Pastoral Poetry, stands by a sylvan stream. In the 
panel on the right we have an illustration of Epic poetry in the seated 
form of the blind Homer, the standing figures on either side represent- 
ing the Iliad and the Odyssey. In the centre panel, devoted to Dra- 
matic Poetry, Aeschylus reclines upon the rocks, invoking Melpom- 
ene's aid in the conception of his tragedy of " Promethus Bound." 
In the distance we see a vision of the unhappy man, subject to the 
repeated attacks of the soaring eagle, while the Oceanides, circling 
around the rock, endeavor by sweet song to allay his ceaseless agony. 



39 



12 

33 Continuing our ascent of the Grand Staircase, we reach the cor- 

ridor on the second story, flanked on the outer side by a balustrade 
supporting a colonnade of polished marble. The inner wall of the cor- 
ridor is adorned with the large mural painting by Chavannes, entitled, 
"The Muses welcoming the Genius of Enlightenment." Floating in 
the air above a grassy foreground are the nine Muses, their graceful 
figures outlined against the dark blue sea beyond, and apparently mov- 
ing with outstretched arms toward the Genius, resting on a cloud above 
the central door. On either side of this doorway are seated figures, 
the one on the left representing Study, that on the right, Contempla- 
tion. Passing through the corridor to the left, underneath the Muses, 
we reach the celebrated paintings by Mr. John S. Sargent. 

The mural decoration at the end of the corridor consists of a frieze 
surmounted by a lunette. Sargent's " Frieze of Prophets" is too well 
known to require a detailed description, photographic reproductions 
having been circulated in every town and village throughout the land. 
The lunette above illustrates the victory of Monotheism over Poly- 
theism. In the centre the Jews, twelve in number, from the Twelve 
Tribes of Israel, naked and despairing, are crouching in captivity be- 
neath the golden yoke of the Egyptian and the Assyrian. The cen- 
tral figure is raising its arms in supplication to the God of Israel, and 
behind the yoke are the uplifted arms of other suppliants. To the left 
stands Pharaoh, the cruel Egyptian king, lifting a scourge in his right 
hand, and with his left grasping the hair of his captives. Behind him 
the Egyptian Sphinx, with magnificent wings of black and gold, tramp- 
les a heap of slain on which are perched two white vultures. On the 
right is the Assyrian king, the knotted muscles of his arms denoting 
the vastness of his power. With his left hand he presses down the 
golden yoke, while the sword in his right hand is drawn back for a 
crushing blow. Behind him lies another heap of slain, over which 
crouches the Assyrian lion, and upon which two ravens, corresponding 
to the Egyptian vultures, are just alighting. Beyond is an Assyrian 
god, with the body of a man and the head of a vulture. But Jehovah 
has heard the despairing cry of His chosen people. On either side of 
the crimson wings of the cherubim, which veil His face, His mighty 
arms are stetched out to restrain the blows of the despots. His light- 
est touch suffices to stay the slender, effeminate arm of Pharaoh, but 
He represses the sturdy arm of the Assyrian monarch with a grasp of 
infinite power. An appropriate text for this picture story may be 
found in the 106th Psalm: " Nevertheless He regarded their affliction 
when He heard their cry : And He remembered for them His cove- 
nant." 



13 

40 Opposite the northern end of the Public Library rises the lofty 
campanile of the " New Old South," which, for a time, threatened to 
rival Pisa's leaning tower. But although the foundations have settled 
sufficiently to throw the tower considerably out of the perpendicular, 
the movement has apparently ceased. One by one the various denom- 
inations have forsaken their old, historic sites, and followed the flight 
of wealth and fashion into the aristocratic quarter, until the Old North 
and King's Chapel are about the only church societies left which con- 
tinue to inhabit their original houses of the colonial period. But, 
beautiful as is the modern home of this ancient congregation, it lacks 
the interest and associations which cluster around its abandoned tem- 
ple, within which was "kindled the flame that fired the Revolution." 

41 Leaving Copley Square, a few steps brings us to Commonwealth 
Avenue, one of the most magnificent thoroughfares in America, and 
bordered with palatial buildings from the Public Garden to the Back 
Bay Fens. Standing in the centre of Commonwealth Avenue, near 
its intersection with the Fens, is the bronze statue of Lief Ericsson, the 
Norse discoverer of America. The inscription reads " Lief, the Dis- 
coverer, son of Erik, who sailed from Iceland and landed on this con- 
tinent in the year 1000." As we look upon the figure of this bold 
explorer, who is supposed to have sailed up the winding ways of the 
river Charles, past this spot, 900 years ago, our thoughts revert to the 
ancient city of Norumbega, erected by his followers long before Co- 
lumbus sailed from sunny Spain. 

42 During the early exploration of New England this famous city 
was vainly sought by Cham plain and Smith, but although seen and 
described by Allefonce in 1543, and again twenty -six years later by 
David Ingram, an English sailor, its existence came to be looked upon 
as a myth. The late Prof. Horsford of Cambridge, after much re- 
search, found the supposed site of this legendary city, and brought to 
light many relics which he associated with descriptions given in the 
Norse Sagas. A few miles up the river Charles, in the town of Wes- 
ton, he has erected this tower of stone, a lasting monument to the 
memory of these Vikings from the far distant northland. 

43 Within a stone's throw of the tranquil Charles", on the Cambridge 
shore, stands an old Colonial mansion. Previous to the Revolution 
it was the home of Thomas Oliver, the last of the Royal Lieutenant- 
Governors, who was forced to resign his office by the men of Middle- 
sex. The mansion then became the home of Elbridge Gerry, who 
resided here while Governor, and later as Vice President under Mad- 
ison. Upon the death of this well-known politician and originator 
of the "Gerrymander" the place was purchased by the Rev. Charles 



14 

Lowell, father of the poet, and became known as " Elmwood." As 
the home of James Russell Lowell, who was born, lived and died be- 
neath the shade of these spreading elms, this old relic of Colonial days 
will be especially remembered by future generations. 

44 Passing in toward the centre of the town, the literary pilgrim to 
the shrine of classic Cambridge will find another antique dwelling, 
whose ponderous brass knocker has probably announced a greater 
number of famous visitors than any other in New England. Known 
in our day and generation as the home of Longfellow, the house will 
be chiefly remembered from its associations with Washington, who 
made his headquarters here while in command of the American forces 
around Boston. The right-hand corner room on the second story was 
occupied by the commander-in-chief as his sleeping apartment. To 
this room, in 1837, came Longfellow, a young professor in Harvard 
College, and here, while a lodger with Mrs. Craigie, he wrote the 
" Psalm of Life." The associations of Washington, which clustered 
around its walls, doubtless inspired the lines : 

" Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 
And, departing, leave behind us, 
Footprints on the sands of time." 

45 A short distance from the home of Longfellow we reach Cam- 
bridge Common, near the end of which stands an ancient elm in soli- 
tary state. From the care taken to preserve its crippled branches, and 
to sustain the few remaining limbs of its former extensive spread, it 
is evidently considered a precious relic. And well it may be, for, in 
passing in front of the granite tablet at its base, we read that — " Un- 
der this tree Washington first took command of the American army 
July 3, 1775." For nearly a century and a half this venerable tree 
has remained a connecting link between the present and the past. Its 
daily presence in the midst of the crowded street compels the hurry- 
ing passer-by to reflect on the lesson taught by its swaying branches, 
a lesson which will be lost to the generations that shall come after the 
elm has ceased to be. 

46 Crossing the Common we stand at the gate of Harvard University, 
the first monument to the shrine of learning among our early institu- 
tions. Within six years of the settlement of Boston an appropriation 
of 400 pounds by the General Court, supplemented two years later by 
a bequest of double the amount from the estate of the Rev. John Har- 
vard, placed the infant college on a firm foundation. Passing through 
these portals we enter the College Yard, surrounded by ancient halls 
and invested with historic associations. The building just inside the 



15 

gateway is the venerable Massachusetts Hall, which afforded shelter 
to the American army during the Revolution. It is the oldest of the 
University buildings now standing in its original condition. 

47 Not far from Cambridge, on the road to Medford, stands the most 
remarkable antique ruin to be found in Massachusetts. In venerable 
appearance and substantial form it can only be rivalled by the Old 
Stone Mill at Newport. Like that famous ruin, this was also a wind- 
mill of the early settlers. But its most interesting historical associa- 
tions are connected with the war of the Revolution, when it was used 
as a magazine for storing the powder of the Continental army. On 
September 1st, 1774, a detachment of troops from Boston seized and 
carried away the powder the magazine contained. The news of the 
seizure rapidly spread, and the following morning several thousand 
men of Middlesex assembled under arms on Cambridge Common. 
Had a similar warning been previously given, there is no doubt that 
Cambridge Common, instead of Lexington Green, would have wit- 
nessed the opening of hostilities. 

48 Driving westward, out upon the old Worcester turnpike, in a se- 
questered nook among the hills of Sudbury, we approach another an- 
cient structure, whose gambrel roof has sheltered the weary traveler 
for more than 200 years. This is Longfellow's Wayside Inn. 

" A region of repose it seems, 
A place of slumber and of dreams, 
Remote among the wooded hills." 

49 Passing underneath the arching branches of a grove of ancient 
oaks, we come upon the house itself, a landmark of the olden time, 
entirely forsaken by the modern stream of travel. After nearly forty 
years of silent solitude, broken only by occasional visitors, the old 
tavern has once more been opened. It has been furnished with rare 
antique furniture, and once again, in fancy, if not reality, 

" Half effaced by rain and shine 
The Red Horse prances on the sign." 

50 Entering the house we are shown the room once occupied by Lafa- 
yette, and Washington is also said to have rested here. What a pity 
the original furnishings should have been scattered and demolished. 
It has been refurnished, however, to conform as nearly as possible to 
its Colonial appearance, and the furnishings, while not the same, are 
genuine antiques. But, aside from the authentic historical associations 
connected with this typical tavern of long ago, the imaginary presence 
of the familiar characters in Longfellow's Prelude impress us strongly. 

51 The deserted hall, with its wooden bar and ancient fixtures, recalls 
the scene, when, according to the poet, the landlord and his guests 



16 
assembled around the blazing fire and listened 

"To the Musician, as he stood, 
Illumined by that fire of wood." 

When the music ceased the landlord, beset by a clamor for a long 
promised story, began his tale of " The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere." 

52 The poet's story is familiar to us all. As the Lexington bells were 
striking the hour of one Revere reined in his panting steed at the gate- 
way of the house before us, the parsonage of Rev. Jonas Clark. In 
the lower room at the left of the entrance the patriot leaders, Hancock 
and Adams, were quietly sleeping. They were just about to start for 
Philadelphia to attend the meetings of the First Continental Congress 
and their capture was one of the objects sought by the British troops. 
If they were captured their doom was certain. As Revere began to 
shout the guard at the door requested him not to make so much noise, 
for fear of waking the inmates. "Noise?" said he, "you'll have 
noise enough before long ! The regulars are out ! " The inmates were 
aroused, lights appeared at the windows, and Hancock, recognizing 
the voice of his friend, bade him enter. Revere then delivered the 
message of warning sent by Warren. 

53 Another and fairer guest, the beautiful Dorothy Quincy, was also 
sheltered on that eventful night under the roof of parson Clark. She 
was the affianced bride of Hancock, and the reigning beauty of her 
time. We may easily imagine that a smile from those lips was a 
sufficient recompense to the gallant Revere for the danger he had in- 
curred and the peril he had braved. In later years, as mistress of the 
Hancock Mansion, she entertained with lavish hospitality, and num- 
bered among her guests many men of rank, including the Marquis de 
Lafayette. In 1824, when Lafayette revisited Boston, amid the im- 
mense throng which greeted him with heartfelt homage, he perceived 
his hostess of forty years before seated on a balcony. Stopping his 
carriage he rose to his feet, and, placing his hand upon his heart, made 
her a graceful salutation. In the evening of her life, although for the 
second time a widow, she seemed lightly touched by the hand of time, 
and retained all the vivacity and sprightliness of her early years. 

54 After a brief pause at Lexington, the impatient Revere continued 
to urge his foaming steed along the Concord road. And what was 
the result of his midnight cry to " Up and arm ! " Before the break 
of day the peaceful inhabitants, roused from their sleep by beat of 
drum and clang of bell, hurriedly grasped their flint-locks and gathered 
in squads to protect their homes. In front of John Buckman's Tav- 
ern, where Captain John Parker and his Minute- Men assembled, has 
been erected this idealized figure of Captain Parker, by the sculptor 



17 

Henry H. Kitson, facing- the British line of march. From the Buck- 
man Tavern, the Minute -Men marched to the historic Green, where, 
drawn up in line, they waited the advance of the British regulars. 

55 And here, where lies this granite boulder placed to commemorate 
the scene, the armed forces of England and America first met face to 
face. Silent and determined stood the line of Minute- Men. "Stand 
your ground ; dont fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a 
war let it begin here ! " were the words of Captain Parker. At that 
moment the fate of our country hung trembling in the wavering bal- 
ance. Suddenly an accidental flash in the pan of a musket held by 
an excited Minute-Man drew a volley from the British regulars. Eight 
patriot hearts here ceased to beat. Thus began the war of the Revo- 
lution. The house seen beyond the Common, which still retains its 
Revolutionary appearance, was the Harrington homestead. 

56 At one of its windows stood the wife of Jonathan Harrington, 
looking out upon this dreadful scene. She saw her husband fall, then 
rise, and with ebbing strength turn toward his home and try to reach 
her side. Then the remnant of that tiny band of patriots, who had 
returned an unavailing fire, saw the column of British regulars reform 
their ranks, and, cheering for their victory, march on to Concord. 
But the victory which the rising sun that morning looked upon was to 
be turned into an ignominious defeat, and the last rays of the setting 
sun, as it sank behind the western hills, were to fall upon the panic- 
stricken redcoats, flying with decimated ranks in wild confusion. 

57 But, before this skirmish commenced on Lexington Green, the in- 
habitants of Concord had been roused from their slumbers, and the 
officers and prominent citizens had gathered at the old Wright Tavern 
for consultation. This old landmark has suffered but little in the lapse 
of time, and now presents almost the identical appearance it did on 
that fateful April morning, when Major Pitcairn entered, and, as he 
stirred his glass of brandy, made his oft-quoted remark about stirring 
the rebels blood. As the British regulars were seen coming up the 
road, their scarlet uniforms and polished bayonets gleaming in the ear- 
ly morning sun, their superiority of numbers decided Colonel Barrett 
to withdraw his men until he could muster a larger force. 

58 The scene now changes to the old North Bridge, on the hill be- 
yond which the Americans were gathered. Stationed here, they saw 
the redcoats cross the bridge and proceed to the house of Colonel Bar- 
rett, to capture and destroy the military supplies there stored. But 
Colonel Barrett had improved his opportunity, during the five hours 
between the first alarm and the arrival of the British, to remove and 
conceal the stores, so the search proved fruitless. Meanwhile the Min- 



18 

ute-Men had been arriving in numbers at the rendezvous on Punka- 
tasset Hill, from whence they could look down upon the movements 
of the British soldiers, whose hostile acts portended a general destruc- 
tion. " It was then resolved to march into the town to defend their 
homes, or die in the attempt." 

59 The British forces at the bridge, seeing them approach, fired a vol- 
ley into the patriot ranks, which was returned by the Minute-Men 
with deadly effect. On the spot then occupied by the regulars has 
been erected a granite monument, on the face of which we read: 
" Here, on the nineteenth of April, 1775, was made the first forcible re- 
sistance to British aggression. On the opposite bank stood the Amer- 
ican militia. Here stood the invading army, and on this spot the first 
of the enemy fell in the war of that Revolution which gave Indepen- 
dence to these United States. In gratitude to God, and in the love of 
freedom, this monument was erected in the year I836." Through the 
leafy vista, beyond the bridge, we see in the distance the bronze figure 
of the Minute-Man, on the spot where stood the Provincials. 

60 " By the rude bridge that arched the flood, 

Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, 
Here once the embattled farmers stood, 
And fired the shot heard round the world." 

These lines by Ralph Waldo Emerson are inscribed on the pedestal of 
this bronze statue, designed by Mr. D. C. French of Concord, to rep- 
resent the Minute-Man as he stood on this spot in 1 775. The sculptor 
has succeeded admirably in his purpose. The attitude of the youth- 
ful soldier is full of life and action, while the costume, the flintlock 
musket and old-fashioned plow are details that were faithfully copied 
from the originals themselves. 

61 The old bridge was long since destroyed, the highway being aban- 
doned, but through the liberality of a wealthy citizen it has been repro- 
duced on the same spot and in the same outline as it presented on the 
day of the Concord fight. The engagement lasted but a few minutes, 
when the British returned to the village, and soon after began their 
memorable retreat to Boston. But in the meantime the news had 
spread with amazing rapidity, and all the roads leading" to Concord 
were thronged with Minute- Men hurrying to the scene of action. In- 
censed at the reports of the aggressive acts of the British, and stirred 
to their souls by the slaughter of their countrymen, they pursued and 
fired upon the invaders with deadly effect " from behind each fence 
and farmyard wall." Franklin has described the rout in humorous 
fashion. He wrote to a friend that the "British troops made a most 
vigorous retreat, twenty miles in three hours — scarce to be paralleled 



19 

in history — and the feeble Americans, who pelted them all the way, 
could scarce keep up with them." The undisciplined, poorly-equipped 
Yankee farmers had outwitted and outfought the veterans of England, 
fully equipped with all the munitions of war. They had saved their 
arms, ammunition and provisions, and had covered themselves with a 
glory that will never fade. 

62 Within a stone's throw of the battle-ground at the bridge is situated 
the Old Manse, where lived the Rev. William Emerson, the patriotic 
minister, whose stirring words that morning inspired with ardor the 
patriot forces. From its dormer window his wife, the grandmother 
of Ralph Waldo Emerson, looked out upon his parishioners drawn up 
in battle array beyond the river, saw them cross this Rubicon, and 
listened to the rattle of musketry which proclaimed the beginning of 
the long struggle for Independence. But, aside from its connection 
with these historic scenes, the Old Manse has become doubly interesting 
from its associations with the genius of Emerson and the inspiration of 
Hawthorne. Many of Emerson's best poems were written while a 
dweller here, and Hawthorne has described his study in " Mosses from 
an Old Manse," written while he lived within these walls. 

63 About a mile from the centre of the village, close by the side of 
the road over which the British retreated to Lexington, stands " Way- 
side," the home of Hawthorne's later years. Although standing here 
in 1775, the house has since received many changes and additions, the 
most notable of which is the square tower built by Hawthorne on top 
of the house, in defiance of all architectural rules, for a study. From 
this lofty sanctum a single window in the rear looks out upon a dense 
forest of trees, most of which were planted by the philosopher Alcott, 
who lived here for several years and who later made his home in the 
adjoining house on the left. Above the window in Hawthorne's study 
is the one word, " Olympus," and on either side are painted the follow- 
ing mottoes : " There is no joy but calm ; " " All care abandon ye that 
enter here." There is a certain analogy between the house, cut off by 
intervening trees and shrubbery from the passing throng in front, and 
the unobtrusive character and retiring disposition of its master's life. 

64 Adjoining the home of Hawthorne on the west is the " Orchard 
House," for many years the home of the philosopher Alcott and of 
his talented daughter Louisa May. It has been known, far and wide, 
as the home of " Little Women." Strictly speaking, however, the 
familiar characters of "Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy" were drawn from 
the home life of the four Alcott girls while they resided in the Haw- 
thorne house. After leaving "Wayside," in 1848, ten years elapsed 
before the Alcott family returned to Concord. In July, 1858, they 



20 

moved into the " Orchard House," but the family circle had in the 
meantime been broken by the death of Elizabeth, the third daughter. 
In the grounds of the " Orchard House," just outside this view to the 
left, was the Concord School of Philosophy, founded by Mr. Allcott, 
and of which Dr. William T. Harris was long the controlling spirit. 
The latter purchased the " Orchard House," after the removal of the 
Alcotts, and resided there until his appointment by President Harrison 
as United States Commissioner of Education at Washington. The 
School of Philosophy was a small, unpretentious, unpainted wooden 
shack, and was the hottest place in Concord on a hot day. 

65 Of these philosophical meeetings, in the " good old summer time," 
Louisa May Allcott, who had a keen sense of humor, as well as a 
caustic pen, has given us such delightful descriptions and nonsense 
rhymes as the following : 

" Philosophers sit in their sylvan hall 

And talk of the duties of man, 
Of Chaos and Cosmos, Hegel and Kant, 

With the Oversoul well in the van ; 
All on their hobbies they amble away, 

And a terrible dust they make; 
Disciples devout both gaze and adore, 

As daily they listen and bake." 

The " Orchard House," after the removal of Dr. Harris, stood vacant 
for several years, and the grounds became sadly neglected. Finally, 
however, the property was purchased by the Concord Woman's Club, 
which has repaired and refurnished the house, installed therein some 
of the old Allcott furniture, and will hereafter maintain this beautiful, 
elm-shaded home as a fitting memorial to Louisa May Allcott. 

66 But the Mecca of all literary pilgrims to this shrine of the Muses 
is the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson, partly concealed from the gaze 
of the passing throng by a grove of trees. A plain, square house, its 
exterior would not of itself attract more than a casual glance, but 
within its hospitable doors met the talented circle of Concord's gifted 
writers, whose influence has extended around the world. Thoreau, 
the " hermit naturalist," was here a daily visitor, and in the large par- 
lor were held the earliest "Conversations" of the philosopher Alcott. 
Although Concord will always be chiefly renowned from her associa- 
tions with the stirring events of that fateful day, and the first decisive 
stand here taken against the forces of a tyrant king, there are many 
who lovingly cherish the memories of her " Golden Age of Letters." 

67 As we journey back in the footsteps of the retreating British to 
Charlestown, our eyes rest upon an object dear to the heart of every 
American. It is the granite shaft, 220 feet in height, which marks the 



21 

spot where was fought the battle of Bunker Hill. The corner-stone 
was laid by Lafayette, and on that occasion, the fiftieth anniversary 
of the battle, Daniel Webster here addressed the venerable survivors. 
With what emotions must the favored few, who were permitted to 
realize the effects of the work their hands had wrought, have listened 
to the stirring words recalling the scene of which they were the heroes. 
On each recurring seventeenth of June Charlestown celebrates the 
anniversary of this greatest event of her history— an American defeat 
that was not a defeat ; an English victory that was not a victory. For 
the confident and exultant British here learned to their cost that the 
Yankees could fight. An English officer wrote home as follows: 
" You good people of old England will find out that some other mode 
must be adopted than gaining every little hill at the expense of 1000 
Englishmen." And our own General Greene wrote to his friends: 
" 1 wish we could sell them another hill at the same price." 

68 Directly in front of the monument stands the bronze statue of 
Colonel Prescott, where he is supposed to have stood at the opening 
of the battle. It represents him as looking eagerly forward toward 
the advancing British, his right hand grasping the sword to be raised 
as a signal for action, and his left extended backward to repress his 
soldiers, as he uttered the warning words: " Dont fire until you can 
see the whites of their eyes ! " 

69 And now, as we enter the little building which forms the entrance 
to the monument, our eyes rest upon the marble statue of Joseph 
Warren, whose ardent young life was the greatest loss the Americans 
suffered in this battle. But Warren did not die in vain. His mem- 
ory lingers yet, an inspiration for all time. As Webster says : " This 
monument may moulder away ; the solid ground it rests upon may 
sink down to a level with the sea, but thy memory shall not fail ! " 

70 On the 120th anniversary of the memorable day of Bunker Hill 
we again see an army here assembled, surpassing in numbers the com- 
bined forces of that day in 1775. But this is an army of peace, as- 
sembled to honor the hallowed memories of all the noble heroes who 
here gave their lives for freedom. In the procession, which on this 
120th anniversary wound about the enclosure where stands the monu- 
ment, rode a detachment of our soldiers side by side with a platoon 
of British cavalry, the English standard fluttering by the side of the 
Stars and Stripes, while above the banners perched the white dove of 
peace and friendship. Old Mother England has forgotten the past, 
and now smiles upon her eldest daughter with pride and affection.' 
Long may these harmonious relations continue between the two great 
English-speaking nations of the earth ! 



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